Basant
Also called Basant Panchami, Vasant Panchami
Spring shows up, and so do the kites
What it is
Late winter, usually late January to March
Basant is the start of spring, and it's best known in Punjab, in both Pakistan and India. Hindus call the day Basant Panchami and pray to Saraswati, the goddess of learning. In Lahore, Basant turned into a huge kite festival where whole neighborhoods head up to their roofs.
How people celebrate
People fly kites from rooftops all day and try to cut each other's strings.
When someone cuts a kite loose, everyone yells 'Bo kata.'
Yellow is the color of the day, so people wear yellow and some families cook yellow rice.
In India, schools and families do Saraswati puja, and some little kids write their first letters that day.
Rooftop parties in Lahore go on into the night with music, food and lights.
What people eat
- Meethe chawal
- Sweet yellow rice cooked with saffron or food color, nuts and raisins.
- Sarson ka saag and makki ki roti
- Mustard greens with corn flatbread, a Punjabi winter classic.
- Pakoras
- Fried fritters that are easy to eat while holding a kite string.
Did you know?
Kite flying was banned in Lahore for almost 20 years because sharp metal and glass-coated strings hurt people, and Basant came back in February 2026 with strict rules on string.